This invention relates to polyxylyidenes, particularly electrically conductive polyxylylidenes.
Considerable research has been devoted to electrically conducting polymers. It has been estimated that replacement of copper wiring in large aircraft with electrically conductive polymer "wires" could result in a weight savings of several hundred pounds. Such a savings in weight would be reflected in a savings in fuel.
A major portion of this research has been directed to polyacetylene. This polymer can be doped by a large variety of substances to room-temperature conductivities of about 10.sup.3 ohm-cm.sup.-1. Aromatic polymers such as poly (phenylene), poly (phenylenevinylene) (PPV), and poly (phenylene sulfide) (PPS) have also been shown to undergo increases in electrical conductivity when exposed to various electron-donor or -acceptor compounds. Low molecular weight poly(p-xylylidene) is, in general, infusible and insoluble. Thus, even though this material can be treated to obtain increases in electrical conductivity, it is little more than a laboratory curiosity since it cannot be formed into useful articles.